The Zimbru Stadium (Romanian: Stadionul Zimbru) is a football-specific stadium in Chișinău, Moldova, completed in May 2006 with a capacity of 10,104 people, meeting all norms required by UEFA and FIFA for national and international matches.

Zimbru Stadium
Stadionul Zimbru
The stadium hosting a Europa Conference League qualifying match in 2023
UEFA
Map
Address45 Dacia Boulevard
Chișinău
Moldova
OwnerZimbru Chișinău
OperatorMoldovan Football Federation
Capacity10,104[1]
Field size111 m × 77 m (121.4 yd × 84.2 yd)
SurfaceNatural Grass
Scoreboard1,600 lux
Construction
Broke groundMarch 2004; 20 years ago (2004-03)
Opened20 May 2006; 18 years ago (2006-05-20)
Construction cost$11 million
ArchitectCeproserving SA
Structural engineerInconex-Com SRL
Tenants
Zimbru Chișinău (2006–present)
Moldova national football team (2006–present)

Starting from June 2016, the Moldovan Football Federation took over the administration of Zimbru Stadium for a period of 10 years. Through this decision, the FMF assumed responsibility towards international football structures to modernize the stadium, ensuring that it meets all the necessary conditions for organizing matches in the international football tournament preliminaries held in Chișinău.[2]

Construction

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The construction of the sports complex on Dacia Boulevard began in 2004. The project for the future facility was developed by the staff of the Ceproserving Institute. The majority of the work was carried out by Inconex-Com. Other companies, including Moldovan ones, also participated in the construction that lasted for 27 months. During the construction process, numerous problems arose that were not easily resolved. However, the Zimbru Stadium was still built. Foreign specialists actively participated in the construction and development of the stadium in Chișinău. The grass field on the pitch was laid by the well-known Swiss company Matomatic. The projectors for illuminating the arena were made at the German Siteco factory, and Ukrainian specialists were involved in the production of video boards.[3]

Opening

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The stadium was inaugurated on 20 May 2006, in a match between Zimbru Chișinău and Krylia Sovetov Samara, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

Facilities

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The VIP box is reserved for 250 people.[citation needed] Sports journalists have 44 places at their disposal.[citation needed] The arena meets all the requirements for holding official international matches.[citation needed]

For the sound insulation of the Zimbru Arena, it was covered with special soundproof panels produced in Slovenia along the entire perimeter.

The Zimbru sports complex includes three stadiums, a mini-football field, tennis courts, a gym, residential blocks for football players, a medical centre, an administrative block, a Young Football Player Training Center, a hotel, and a museum.

The club also has three standard-sized outdoor tennis courts intended for tennis matches. The courts are equipped with artificial covering, ensuring conditions for playing lawn tennis.

Usage

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The Zimbru Stadium in Chișinău is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Zimbru Chișinău and the Moldova national football team. Other Moldovan clubs also play their home games here in European tournaments.

In September 2022 Sheriff Tiraspol played their 2022–23 UEFA Europa League, due to the UEFA decision prohibiting games in Transnistria due to Russian invasion of Ukraine.[4]

It also hosted concerts of Scorpions,[5] Okean Elzy.[6]

Zimbru-2 Stadium and CPTF Stadium

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Zimbru-2 Stadium
 
CPTF Stadium in 2010
Address1 Butucului Street
Chișinău
Moldova
OwnerZimbru Chișinău
Capacity2,000
Field size111 m × 77 m (121.4 yd × 84.2 yd)[7]
SurfaceNatural Grass
Opened2006
Tenants
Zimbru-2 Chișinău, Dacia Buiucani

Zimbru-2 Stadium, with natural grass, and CPTF Stadium, with artificial grass, both situated within the Zimbru sports complex, and have a seating capacity of 2,000. Stadiums serves as the home ground for Zimbru Chișinău, Zimbru-2 Chișinău and Zimbru youth teams, as well as for Dacia Buiucani, competing in the Moldovan Super Liga.

References

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  1. ^ "First division clubs in Europe 2011/12" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2018-10-28.
  2. ^ "Stadionul Zimbru 3D" (in Romanian). FMF. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Zimbru este un stadion în Chișinău. Istoria construcției și fapte interesante". olnafu.com (in Romanian). Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  4. ^ "ManUtd.com reporter Adam Marshall at Old Trafford.byAdam MarshallTuesday 13 September 2022 13:57Share With twitterShare With facebook Manchester United's Europa League Group E game away to Sheriff Tiraspol will not be played at the Moldovan side's home ground". manutd.com. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  5. ^ "The Scorpions către fanii din Moldova: "Scorpions is ready to rock you like a hurricane!"" (in Romanian). 13 October 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Nebunie în Chișinău. "Okean Elzy" a cântat pe stadionul Zimbru" (in Romanian). primelestiri.md. 11 September 2016.
  7. ^ "stadion Zimbru-2". zimbru.md. Retrieved 21 July 2024.